Stein shares insight into government work with New London students

NEW LONDON — Two of New London High School social studies teacher Misty Ebinger's classes had a special guest Monday morning — state Rep. Dick Stein (R-Norwalk).

Junior Chase Clouse said he learned how bills are passed, what Stein’s day-to-day job entails and the rationales he has for supporting various legislation.

“I learned his intentions,” added the son of Shawn and Lindsay.

Clouse also was fascinated by the information that Stein presented about nuclear energy. Stein said the two nuclear plants in Ohio produce about 90 percent of the carbon-free energy in the state. The representative showed students a free app which shows energy usage in real time.

“I thought wind energy would be a bigger factor,” Clouse said. “That was an eye-opener for me.”

Junior Carter Dahl also was interested in the information on nuclear energy.

“I didn’t know clean nuclear energy is. I didn’t know it didn’t put carbons in the air. I didn’t know it was so clean,” said the son of Don and Cathy.

To give the students an insight into how government works, Stein shared how the first legislation he sponsored, House Bill 168, was a “good fit” for him. He said the bill, which has become law, has created a grant application for not-for-profit cemeteries which need some “extraordinary” work done that wouldn’t be affordable otherwise, such as fence repairs or taking down trees that might destroy or damage grave markers. One dollar of burial permit fees goes to the grant.

“It took a year and a half to pass,” Stein said.

Since he represents 27 townships, Stein told the students that HB 168 was an especially good fit and he could tell township trustees how a new law can help them. Townships most often fund and oversee cemeteries. Stein is a representative of District 57, which covers Huron and Lorain counties.

Another reason that Stein said he was attracted to supporting HB 168 was it helped him “work through the process” of passing a bill and it wasn’t a divisive issue so there was no opposition to it.

Stein also told the students that government moves slowly and used the example of pending legislation to create a retirement ceremony for the Ohio flag. It is part of an Eagle Scout project for a Columbia Station high school student.

“It sits in the Senate waiting (for) approval. It’s been sitting in the Senate for five or six months,” Stein said.

In Tuesday’s General Election, Stein easily won his re-election bid over Willard Democrat James Johnson.